Results of Karnataka Legislative Council polls to be announced today

Voters show their IDs as they wait in a queue to cast their votes in the North-East Teachers’ Constituency Legislative Council election, in Kalaburagi on October 23

Counting of votes polled in four graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies of the Karnataka Legislative Council will get under way on Tuesday morning, and results are expected later in the day.

As many as 43 candidates, including three sitting members, are in the fray. Of the total 3.43 lakh voters across four constituencies, 2.01 lakh voters have cast their votes in the elections held on Friday.

Prominent among the candidates is five-time MLC and former Deputy Chairman of the Upper House Puttanna, who is contesting on the Congress ticket to retain his seat from the Bangalore Teachers’ constituency.

The other three constituencies — Karnataka South East Graduates’, Karnataka West Graduates’ and Karnataka North East Teachers’ — are held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently. Sitting members S.V. Sankanur and Sashil Namoshi are contesting from the West Graduates’ and North East Teachers’, respectively. Mr. Sankanur is being challenged by former MLC Mohan Limbikai. With the BJP sitting member of the South East Graduates’, Chidanand Gowda, opting out of the contest, the BJP has fielded K.M. Suresh against Shashi Hulkuntemutt of the Congress.

Currently, the Congress holds a majority in the 75-member Council, as it has 38 members, while National Democratic Alliance partners BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) have 24 and six members, respectively.

Five seats, for which the government has to nominate members, are currently vacant. One seat is held by the Chairman, and the other is represented by an Independent.

As part of the electoral alliance, the BJP is contesting to retain the three seats, while the JD(S) has fielded its candidate from the Bangalore Teachers’ constituency. The ruling Congress has contested all four seats.